Browse our Introductory Articles

Use of Conservation Easements in Estate and Conservation Planning

By: Jesse J. Richardson and L. Leon Geyer
Under many circumstances, the donation of a conservation easement or sale of such easement for less than fair market value may give income tax, estate tax, and real property tax benefits to the donor or seller. https://www.landcan.org/article/Use-of-Conservation-Easements-in-Estate-and-Conservation-Planning/3500/

 

A fierce, expensive fight erupts over conservation easements

By: Timothy Cama, E&E News reporter
An ongoing fight over tax breaks for conserving privately owned land — and accusations that some people are using them as a tax shelter — is spurring an expensive lobbying battle involving landowners and conservationists. https://www.landcan.org/article/A-fierce-expensive-fight-erupts-over-conservation-easements/3524/

 

Iowa's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy

By: Resources First Foundation - RFF
Excerpts from Iowa's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CWCS) applicable to Private Landowners. https://www.landcan.org/article/Iowas-Comprehensive-Wildlife-Conservation-Strategy-/195/

 

Crop Insurance and Conservation Compliance

By: Daryll E. Ray; Harwood D. Schaffer
The failed Senate bill reattached conservation compliance to the crop/revenue insurance program that was subsidized by the Federal Government.https://www.landcan.org/article/Crop-Insurance-and-Conservation-Compliance/907/

 

Protecting Nature, Harvesting Timber

By: Joe Rankin
How different conservation groups got into managing forestland, and the lessons they've learned. https://www.landcan.org/article/Protecting-Nature-Harvesting-Timber/875/

 

Soil and Water Conservation Districts

By: Resources First Foundation - RFF
What is a Soil and Water Conservation District? Across the United States, nearly 3,000 conservation districts - almost one in every county - are helping local people to conserve land, water, forests, wildlife and related natural resources. https://www.landcan.org/article/Soil-and-Water-Conservation-Districts/112/

 

Unique Partnership Promotes Conservation through Ranching

By: Jeff Eisenberg
A group of ranching and conservation organizations have formed a broad-based coalition to enhance ranching practices that consider important conservation issues throughout the West.https://www.landcan.org/article/Unique-Partnership-Promotes-Conservation-through-Ranching/204/

 

Mississippi's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (Wildlife Action Plan)

Excerpts from Mississippi's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CWCS) applicable to Private Landowners.https://www.landcan.org/article/Mississippis-Comprehensive-Wildlife-Conservation-Strategy-Wildlife-Action-Plan/157/

 

Hunters - A Force for Conservation

By: Breana Behrens
Hunting seasons are starting to open, making this a great time to commemorate the important role that hunters play in habitat conservation. https://www.landcan.org/article/Hunters--A-Force-for-Conservation/1646/

 

Mitigation and Conservation Banking

By: K Gregg Elliott
To many landowners a threatened or endangered (T&E) species on their property is anathema because it can herald all kinds of state and federal limitations on use of their property.& ...https://www.landcan.org/article/Mitigation-and-Conservation-Banking/71/

 

Alternatives to Real Estate Development Deriving Financial Benefits from Conservation and Mitigation Projects in Virginia - a Lender's Collateral Concerns

By: R. Lee Stephens, Jr and Robert J. Allen
In the current economic environment, landowners previously contemplating development or sale of their real property are seeking alternative ways to generate cash flow from their real property assets.https://www.landcan.org/article/Alternatives-to-Real-Estate-Development-Deriving-Financial-Benefits-from-Conservation-and-Mitigation-Projects-in-Virginia--a-Lenders-Collateral-Concerns/96/

 

State Tax Credit Summary

By: Debra Pentz
The Conservation Resource Center has assembled a report to assess the effectiveness of state income tax credits for the donation of conservation easements. https://www.landcan.org/article/State-Tax-Credit-Summary/210/

 

Conservation helps landowners ‘drought proof’ farms, ranches

By: USDA NRCS
https://www.landcan.org/article/Conservation-helps-landowners-drought-proof-farms-ranches/1107/

 

Uniform Conservation Easement Act Summary

By: Uniform Law Commission
Although traditional uses of land for industrial, commercial, residential and agricultural purposes have continued, conservation and historic preservation have become important as well. https://www.landcan.org/article/Uniform-Conservation-Easement-Act-Summary/2898/

 

Cost-effective Conservation Practices

By: Michelle Wood
This article includes ideas on how to improve your operation environmentally and economically.https://www.landcan.org/article/Costeffective-Conservation-Practices/969/

 

Government, company agreementwill help farmers improve conservation practices

By: Jennifer Carrico
https://www.landcan.org/article/Government-company-agreementwill-help-farmers-improve-conservation-practices/951/

 

Agricultural Conservation and the Next Farm Bill

By: Megan Stubbs;
Reauthorization of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 farm bill) failed to pass in the 112th Congress, leaving it to the 113th Congress to continue the farm bill debate.https://www.landcan.org/article/Agricultural-Conservation-and-the-Next-Farm-Bill/903/

 

Ranching as a Conservation Strategy - Can Old Ranchers Save the New West?

By: Mark W. Brunson and Lynn Huntsinger
Working ranches are often promoted as means of private rangeland conservation because they can safeguard ecosystem services, protect open space, and maintain traditional ranching culture. https://www.landcan.org/article/Ranching-as-a-Conservation-Strategy--Can-Old-Ranchers-Save-the-New-West/265/

 

Drafting Conservation Easements

By: Jessica Jay
Drafting the conservation easement influences everything about the protected property after the easement’s grant: it guides the landowner’s use of the protected property, it guides Land Trust’s monitoring and stewardship of the property, and it guides Land Trusts enforcement of the conservation easement against the original landowner and all future landowners, forever. https://www.landcan.org/article/Drafting-Conservation--Easements/1736/

 

Conservation Easements

By: Christopher B. Johnson
One tool for estate planners is the conservation easement, by which a landowner voluntarily restricts his or her land from being developed, restricts the amount of development or protects existing features, like a building facade with historic value. https://www.landcan.org/article/Conservation-Easements/223/